Enameling fixture



Nov. 7, 1933. TRENKAMP, JR 1,933,944

ENAMELING FIXTURE Filed June 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6.44. A TTORNEY Nov. 7, 1933. H, TRENKAMP, JR ,9

ENAMELING FIXTURE Filed Jun 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-- 4 FIE. 5

IN I E N TOR Him/er mew/(AMP J/z g A TTORNEY Nov. 7, 1933. H. TRENKAMP, JR 1,933,944

ENAMELING FIXTURE Filed June 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7 r 34 FIG. 8

l N VE N TOR Ham TEEN/(AMP Jxa Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES- FATE m O'FFlCE-i I ENAMELING FIXTURE Henry Trenkamp, .ErQShaker Heights, Ohio, as-- signer to The Ohio Foundry Company, Cleve land, Ohio My invention pertains to an enameling fixture and more particularly to a metal structure designed and adapted to support metal washing machine tubs, metal light shades and the like, while being burnt.

After the higher cost of copper wash machine tubs caused them to be superseded. by baser metal enameled in various colors, it was first realized that it should be advantageous to burn the vitre ous enamel coating while the top was inan inverted position, but warpage and other 'diificulties asserted themselves for reasons fully set forth in the copending application (with same assign e) of John Winkler, filed July 25th, 1930, Serial No. 470,686, which has become Patent 1,913,623. That prior application pertained to a ring fixture provided with upstanding prongs arranged to conform to the tub bottom and successfully prevented sagging tub bottoms and other distortions and earned commercial adoption.

The object of my invention has been tomake' feasibly and commercially successful the burning of enamel. coated concave-convex articles while in their inverted positions, which is to say, with their convex surfaces uppermost, to realize the following advantages:

When, for instance, a tub is burned in an inverted position, the heat rises into the inside of the tub to insure a uniform fusion of the enamel to the steel in the ground coating and likewise a uniform fusion of the finishing coatings to the ground coating during succeeding burnings, whereas, if a tub be burned while in a normal position with its bottom resting on a fixture, the heat flows around the-bottom and up the sides and consequently the interior enamel coating does not become fused until after the exterior coating has become fused and the heat has passed through the exterior coating and the:

metal Wall, whereby frequently toresult in fish scaling, because the interior coating and especially the interior bottom coating did not become properly fused. Extensive commercial use of my fixture herein shown, described and claimed has substantially eliminated the oc cu rrence of fish scaling on tub interiors.

Further advantages attending use or" my preslycollect particles of dust or grease which are inevitably dislodged from or by an overhangingv chain which is employed to draw the suspended tubs through the enameling furnace. Deposi tion of dust particles, or other foreign substances on the interior face of the bottoms of tubs is especially objectionable where the enameling is in white color. Tubs held in their normal position while being burned required a fixture which supplied a center; hub support projecting through an opening in the bottom and thescaling of such a hub also caused objectionable deposition on the interior of the tub bottom. My improved fixture for supporting a tubin an inverted position while precluding its distortion during burning avoids the difficulties just mentioned be: cause the scalingirom the fixture drops through itsbase ring to the fioor of the oven: and because and dislodgment from or by the conveyor chain which may settle on the exterior of the bottom of the tub is not objectionable because no fine color-finish is there required.

It is to be realized that the scope of my invention comprehends many equivalent constructions. The showing of the drawings and the particular description are merely specific ex-l emplifications of a plurality of mechanical em:

bodiment and arrangements.

Adverting to the drawings: 1

Figure l is a top plan view of afixture embodying one form of my invention. 7

' Figure 2 is mainly a diametrical sectional view of the fixture shown in Figure 1 together with a washing machine tub supported thereon in an inverted position.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding adaptedto a modified, tub. y I

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail View of portion of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of a modified head fitted in the bottom of a tub. i

Figure dis atop plan view vof the removable head shown in Figure 5. a

Figure 7 is a View corresponding to Figure 3; of afurther modification showing the application of .my; invention in association with .an enameled lamp shade.

Figure 8 is atop plan view only of the modified fixture shown in Figure '7. i

Figures 9, i0 and 11, are three modifications of the movable heads.

The form of my invention disclosed in Figure 1 comprises a base ring 1, from which extend upwardly radial ribs 2, provided on their upper sides with circumferentially'arranged recesses 3. A light concentric outer ring i serves to strengthen the ribs2 and to lend rigidity-to the whole. 110

to 2 somewhat smaller dryera lower The remainder of the fixture is designed as an integral spider comprising a plurality of legs 5, (four being shown), which rise as they converge toward a central socket 6, which is fashioned with a central hole 7. Preferably, the points of connection of the legs 5 with the ring 1 are between pairs of the ribs 2. g

A removable head 8 has its lower end fashioned as a pin 9 adapted to occupy the hole 7 and has its upper end fashioned as a centering pin 10 adapted to fit in a hole 11 in the center of the bottom of an inverted tub 12, when the rim 13, of the latter, occupies the circumferential recesses 3. It should be-understood that tubs for various manufactured washing machines vary in size, in shape and in the size and marginal form of their central bottom openings, wherefore, it is desirable to provide different removable heads as shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11. When the tub 12 is carried by my improved fixture, as shown in Figure 2, a .circumferential set of prongs 14 on the removable head and at a somewhat lower elevation than the top of the centering pin 10* will support the margin of the opening 11 in the tub.

As has been earlier emphasized, it is important to prevent warpage or other distortion of the tubs during the burning of their vitreous enamel coating, consequently, each tub should be supported at prescribed places on points or hair lines, depending upon its specific shape. It will be observed that the recesses 3 support and restrain against warpage, from circular form, the eventual upper rim 13 of the tub, while the point or knife edge prongs 14 support the central area of the bottom of the tub, the centering pin 10 meanwhile preventing displacement during I centering. a

The modification of Figures 3 and 4 illustrates a dryer tub 15 having its rim 16 supported in recesses 17 in a base ring 18. The spider comprises only three legs 19 connected with a hub 20, in which is detachably fitted a head 21, provided, somewhat below its centering pin 22, with four knife edges 23 to support the margin 24 of an opening in the bottom of the tub 15.

The modification of Figure 5 illustrates a hollow head 25 with a somewhat shorter centering pin 26 and with a hole 27 crosswise through the head to permit the passage of heat through the hollow center for causing a uniform expansion of the head.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a fixture including a base ring 28 with recesses 29, for the reception of the rim 30 of a light shade 31, having a center opening 32 through which projects a single central pedestal 33 provided Withprongs 34 engaging the margin of the opening 32.

Figure 9 is a stubby modification of the head shown in Figure 5. Figure 10 shows an elongated head 35 in which the centering pin is omitted and four prongs 36, defining a greater diameter, project through a somewhat larger hole 37 in a tub bottom 38. A further modification is the provision of knife edge lateral projections 39, (four being shown) to provide collectively a centering set.

The modification of Figure 11 closely corresponds to that shown in Figure 5, though the head 40 is higher.

I claim:

1. A fixture of the class described, comprising a spider including a base provided on its upper side with circumferentially arranged depressions and a centering pin detachably supported by the center of said spider and provided with prongs projecting upwardly.

2. A fixture of the class described, comprising a spider including a base provided on its upper side with spacedly arranged V-shaped grooves, a central structure elevated with respect to said ring, and prongs projecting upwardly from said elevated central structure.

3. In combination, a spider comprising a base, said base fashioned in its upper surface with a plurality of circumferentially arranged recesses defined by downwardly converging surfaces, said spider further comprising upwardly converging legs and an elevated central union therefore and a hollow head fashioned with upstanding prongs and detachably connected with said union.

4. In combination, a spider comprising an annular base, said base comprising upwardly converging legs and an elevated central union therefor, said union being fashioned with a bore and ahead provided with a transverse cooling hole and at'its bottom with a pin occupying said bore, said head being further provided with laterally disposed upwardly directed knife edges.

5. In combination, a spider comprising an annular base, said spider fashioned in its upper surface with a plurality of spacedly arranged recesses adapted for occupancy by the rim of an inverted hollow article, said spider further comprising upwardly converging legs located inward- 1y of the spacedly confines of said recesses and an elevated central union therefor, and a head fashioned with upstanding prongs and detachably connected with said union, said prongs being adapted for engaging the central interior of said article.

6. In a fixture of the character described, the combination of a spider having an annular base comprising concentric rings with connections therebetween and an elevated central hub together with an element having upstanding prongs and detachably carried by said hub, some of the connections between said rings being fashioned with circumferentially arranged recesses for the reception of correspondingly disposed portions of the rim of the tub.

7. In a fixture of the character described for use during enameling of inverted tubs provided with central bottom openings, the combination of a spider, an annular base comprising concentric rings with radially extending circumferentially arranged connections therebetween and an elevated central hub together with a pin detachably carried by said hub and adapted to project 'through the opening in a tub bottom, said radial connections being fashioned each with a recess for the reception of a portion of the rimof the tub.

8. In a fixture of the character described for use during enameling of inverted tubs provided with central bottom openings, the combination of an integral spider'comprising a base, upwardly extending legs and. an elevated central pin whose upper extremity is adapted to project through the opening in a tub bottom and said pin carrying upstanding prongs having their tips below and radially outward from said upper extremity, said prongs adapted to support the margin of said opening in the tub bottom.

9. An integral fixture of the class described comprising concentric base rings, radially extending ribs connecting said rings and upwardly converging legs joined at an axial hub, said legs rising from the inner one of said base rings at points between pairs of said base ribs, said hub being provided with a bore and said base being fashioned on its upper side with recesses for the purpose declared.

10. A fixture of the class described comprising the combination of a base fashioned on its upper side with separated rests adapted to receive portions of the lower edge of an inverted tub, and an elevated central portion whose upper extremity is intended to project through a hole in the bottom of the tub, said portion being fashioned with a projection disposed laterally and below the top of said elevated portion and adapted to support the tub bottom adjacent to its hole.

11. A fixture of the class described comprising the combination of a base fashioned on its upper side with separated recesses arranged in predetermined spaced relation and adapted to conform to the shape of the rim of an inverted tub and further adapted to confine portions of said tub rim, and an elevated centering head whose upper extremity is intended to project through a hole in the bottom of the inverted tub, said head being fashioned with upstanding prongs disposed laterally and below the top of said head and adapted to support the tub bottom around its hole.

12. In a fixture of the class described, a base fashioned with marginal, upwardly open recesses adapted to support the rim of an inverted tub, upwardly converging legs connected with said base at points spaced from its border and within the compass of said recesses and an elevated centering head connected with the upper ends of said legs and adapted to project into a hole in the tub bottom, said head being provided near its top with a series of separated projections having upper surfaces lying substantially in the same plane and adapted to contact the interior of the tub bottom around the hole therein.

HENRY TRENKAMP, JR. 

